Have you ever wondered about the original titles of the books you read and how it could have effected whether or not you read them in the first place?
Like ‘Twilight’ originally being called ‘Forks’. Do you think a book with the name ‘Forks’ would’ve gotten 1. As many readers 2. All the hype?
Titles matter. A lot. Which is why I’m debating mine.
My YA urban fantasy is entitled ‘Fossegrim’. But I’m beginning to think this title doesn’t reflect the humor or lightness in the story. Here’s the blurb for those who haven’t read it:
Teen delinquent Sage Reynolds has been looking forward to his eighteenth birthday ever since he was dropped into ‘the system’. Now, just six months from freedom, his foster parents are sending him away to military school after one (okay, maybe two) run-ins with the law. Sage was pretty sure he’d covered all his bases in the ‘screwed department’.
But that was before he woke up on the bottom of the ocean with a freaking fish tail.
In this 75,000 word YA urban fantasy, Sage deals with the realities of turning ‘Fossegrim’- a mermaid race living off an enchanted island in the North Sea. Truth is, Sage never asked to sprout a man-tail and shoot through the waves like a Disney character on snort. He’d do anything to get his old imperfect life back. His one shot at turning human again lies with the Fossegrim who threw the changing stone down that transformed him. Problem is- no one has heard from her in seventy years and there’s a chance she’s being held by the Fossegrim’s ancient enemies, the Fiskari -- an underground organization of Norse fishermen who capture and use Fossegrim for monetary gain. If Sage can manage to avoid capture, find the girl, and convince her to go back to the ocean, he might be able to reclaim his humanity. If not, he’ll be spending the rest of his life as a sushi-eating Fossefreak.
So I’m letting my readers be the judge. What do YOU think? Is ‘The Man-Tail and Me’ a convincing title or a confusing one?? If you saw a book with the title ‘Fossegrim’ (press #1)or ‘The Man-Tail and Me’ (press #2) which would you be more likely to pick up? …Or do both titles blow chowder? (press #3)
Have a great weekend everyone!
*CQG*
